The Royal Navy is pursuing a range of initiatives aimed at harnessing artificial intelligence to improve decision-making speed and targeting effectiveness, the Ministry of Defence has said in a written parliamentary answer.
In a response published on 9 February, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the work is being carried out “alongside the development of the Maritime Fighting Web”, a broad effort intended to improve how the Royal Navy links sensors, commanders and effectors across its fleet and wider defence networks.
“Alongside the development of the Maritime Fighting Web, several Royal Navy initiatives are underway to harness AI to improve the decision action cycle,” Pollard said.
He added that the Royal Navy is taking steps to establish a dedicated targeting organisation intended to represent the maritime element of the UK’s Integrated Force, suggesting a move toward more formalised and centralised targeting structures as defence increasingly focuses on multi-domain operations.
“These include establishing a Royal Navy Targeting organisation to represent the maritime component of the Integrated Force; conducting exercises and training with NATO Allies, Partners, and other Services; and working with the Defence Artificial Intelligence Cell on emerging technologies,” he said.
Pollard also linked the work directly to the war in Ukraine, where the rapid integration of drones, electronic warfare, targeting intelligence and real-time data-sharing has become a defining feature of battlefield effectiveness. “These efforts incorporate lessons from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and address current operational risks facing the Royal Navy,” he said.
